Yorkie

Yeah that one made me chuckle and it felt like absolute gold for anyone making the argument that he's a poor fit for us. Pair of them on another wavelength altogether. Tbf I thought it was quite forgivable from both him and Tripps. Elanga's been told to come on and do his thing - i.e. burst into space beyond their defensive line - meanwhile Tripps has spent the last 80 minutes playing short passes inside to Bruno or to Murphy. That doesn't happen if they start the game together. I've still got really high hopes for him. Sometimes things just take time. It's not like he's been wall-to-wall guff for us; he was lethal against Barca and should've had at least one assist.

It's a fair point. On the matter of crunch games, is there something to be said for the atmosphere being fair-to-middling most of the time, meaning when it elevates for those massive games, it really makes a difference? Regrettably I wasn't at any of them in the last couple of years, but from everything you hear, those really really important home wins - in games where we had to step up - the crowd rose with the team and the gains were felt on the pitch. Like I say, I've not been much recently, so if you tell me I'm wrong I'll accept it no bother - but can we accept that most games aren't going to be fever pitch, and that's actually a part of what enables it to become a bear pit when it really needs to be? Maybe the special characteristic at SJP atmosphere is the ability for it to really soar, rather than it's baseline being higher than other places. If that's the case, it doesn't feel worth giving up for a soulless bowl which only works better in theory. Access is of course another matter.

He's been so good this season. The bedwetter in me is buzzing to see him celebrating goals so much too, after the conjecture in the summer about him being cut from the same cloth as Isak. Hope he stays with us for years to come.

What do you like about it? I agree with Pons in that, seeing us win is always fun, but neither this nor USG feel particularly meaningful. If the three teams we'd played were our opponents in a classic group of four (which is quite plausible), the last two wins would have felt absolutely massive, but with everything still in the balance at the halfway point.

He's got Schär's ability to step out of the defensive line and win the ball high too. The first goal tonight came from him doing just that, winning the ball in a really dangerous area when the defence are caught flat-footed.

If he's two thirds as good as that in every game then he'll have had a brilliant season. Was unstoppable tonight.

Absolute bullseye. Was the only place he could put it from that angle and he managed it. Just a great goal.

The two CBe were both absolutely stupendous again btw. Physical, savvy, good on the ball, won their duels, pressed high. Just brilliant. Lots of wonderful moments in that second half, like. But add Burn's torpedo to the ever-growing list of "fuck, I wish that had gone in"s. The league is going to be hard work this year but we're gonna have a lot of fun in the cups I think.

Sensational stuff. Loved that.

Fuck me that effort from Burn

I don't want this game to end

Willie gotta score there

Exceptional footy. Taking the piss now.

WHAT A GOAL

It's a pen man that's two!

Exceptional, Bruno. He's fucking amazing on nights like this.

That is one of the best assists I've ever seen Never kick it again, Popey

Unreal from Pope

Three are offering very little. Really need to make it count.

Decent half, very competitive game. Benfica are wiley and have talent in forward areas, but out defence has been generally very solid - particularly Thiaw and Botman. Wondering if we're ever gonna see Fabian Schär again at this rate. Fair fucks to Gordon; been all over the pitch and got himself in the right position to make the difference. Confident but we'll need another goal.

Ah Tripps man. Should've hit it!

So many annoying loose little passes; feel like that's been a bit of a characteristic of lots of our games this season.

Fuckkkk, Wolt scores if Bruno leaves it

Can't believe how easily that suddenly seemed to be. Brilliant from Thiaw and Bruno

Sensational pass from Bruno